Butea superba (PROSEA)

Plant Resources of South-East Asia Introduction

List of species

Butea superba Willd.

Protologue: Sp. pl. 3(2): 917 (1802).

Vernacular names

• Cambodia: char
• Laos: (khùa) chan
• Thailand: kwaao khruea (northern), thong kruea (central)
• Vietnam: chan kiệu, gièng gièng dẹp.

Distribution

India, Sri Lanka, Burma (Myanmar), Indo-China and Thailand.

Uses

In Burma (Myanmar) the bark is used as a remedy for snakebites and insect stings, and in Thailand to treat toothache. In Cambodia a decoction of stem and leaves is externally applied to haemorrhoids; it is also considered sedative and used to treat convulsions.

Observations

A large liana with stem up to 40 cm in diameter; leaves with petiole up to 10 cm long and leaflets up to 30(-45) cm × 25(-40) cm; inflorescence with bracts persistent until anthesis; flowers 8-10 cm long, bright orangered, pedicel c. 3 times longer than calyx; fruit up to 24 cm × 6 cm, covered with short brown hairs, pale yellowishbrown or grey when ripe. B. superba occurs in open forest.

Selected sources

92, 121, 181, 250, 731, 815, 825, 1024.

Main genus page

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Authors

Raharni